Lasting-machine.



J. J. GILLESPIE.

LASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30. 1913.

1,159,591 Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

JOHN J. GILLESPIE', OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATER SON, NEW JERSEY, A. CORPORATION 03 NEW JERSEY.

LASTING-MAGHINE.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, J OHN J. GILLnsrIn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and btate of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Lasting-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures. v

This invention relates to lasting machines and particularly to machines of the bed type,

such, for example, as shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,018,477 granted February 27, 1912 and has for its object'to facilitate the toe lasting operation and to improve the quality of the work.

' It has heretofore been proposed to sub ject toe portions of shoes to the action of prior to the presentation of the shoe to the lasting machine, the purpose being to soften and render more pliable the upper material so that it may be shaped and worked into lasted position by the machine with greater ease. In following this practice it has been necessary to provide a separate moistening apparatus, the use of which involved a separate or additional operation which was completedbefore the shoe reached the lasting machine so that there was no opportunity for extending the toe softenmg operation upon a shoe which was found to be-particularly diflicult to last. .Moreover, ifthe op erator followed the usual practice of lasting the heel seat before the toewas lasted the toe ortion of the shoe lost somewhat of its lia ility induced by the heat and moisture efore the toe was lasted. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the present invention means for' rendering the stock pliable. preparatory to lasting is associated with the lasting machine. This has the advantage of eliminating the-separate operationand additional handling of the shoe heretofore involved, permitting treatment of individual shoes in accordance with their requirements and sup plemental treatment of particular shoes, and making possible the treatment of the stock immediately before, and if desired during,

the lasting operation so that the full benefit of the treatment is obtained.

An important feature of this invention Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed Apr1130, 1913. Serial No. verses.

Patented Aug. 1915.

consists in the combination with too lasting mechanism of means for rendering the stock pliable or otherwise treating it preparatory to the action of the toe lasting mechanism upon the stock. As herein shown, means is provided for directing steam or warm moist vapor upon the toe portion of the upper while the shoe is in the lasting machine. When the operator follows the usual practice the toe portion of the shoe will be subjected to treatment during the jacking of the shoe and during thelasting and tacking of the heel seat after which the upper at the I toe will be found to be warmed and moistened for rendering it pliable for the action of the toe lasting plates. The application of the steam or vapor may be continued during the toe lasting operation and if the stock proves stubborn the treatment may be continued for such length of 'time as is necessary to condition the stock, it being of course unnecessary to remove the shoe from the machine for this purpose. In accord ance with another feature of this invention, the supply of steam or vapor is rendered discontinuous. As herein shown, the supply is cut off While the shoe is off of the machine and is automatically turned on when the shoe is applied to the machine or when the shoe is jacked. The delivery of steam may be momentary during the jacking operation but preferably the supply of steam is continued from the time the shoe. is jacked until the shoe is again unjacked, steam being turned on or turned off as an incident of the jacking operation.

The steam delivering means is shown as located below the toe embracing plates so that the steam or moist vapor which said delivering means is constructed and arranged to direct against the toe portion of the shoe will be confined more or less by the Wipers to the exterior of the shoe-upper below' the plane of the bottom of the inverted shoe. The construction and arrangement of the illustrated shoe supporting rest and of the wiper carrying head, into which the'toe portion of the shoe extends, assists in confining the vapor to the portion of the shoe which it is desirable to treat. The invention may be more fully understood from the following description of the illustrated embodiment of the machine and it will then be pointed out in the claims.

herein disclosed constitutes the subject-matter. of a divisional application Ser. No. 38,423, filed July 7,1915. 7

. Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of the toe portion of the commercial bed lasting machine of said prior patent equipped with substantially identical with that described in said patent and comprises the toe lasting head 2 which is movable vertically in a guideway in the frame 4 by a treadle mechav nism not shown and carr1es the toe lasting plates 5 and their opening and closingdevices, said plates being operated by said .treadle mechanismand closing devices to embrace the toe of the last, then wipe the upper up the sides of the last until the plane of the last bottom is reached and thereafter to close for gathering the upper over the lastbottom and laying it down upon the innersole. The machine also comprises the usual toe rest 6 guided for vertical movement in the lasting head and lifted as a part of the jacking operation by the lifting device 8.-

By the illustrated embodiment of this invention the machine is provided with a block 10into which leads a steam pipe 12 and upon which is supported the steam distributer '15, the crescent-shaped head of which preferably extends more or less around the toe end of the shoe, being located vertically with relation to the shoe in position to direct steam through its various openings into suitable relation to the upper which is to be treated. The block 10 also supports a valve 16 which is upwardly pressed by a spring 18 into position to allow steam to pass into the distributer. The valve has a lateral projection which is engaged by a finger 20 on the toe rest stem 7 so arranged that'the valve is depressed to shut off steam when the toe rest is allowed to move downwardly during the unjacking operation. The finger allows the spring18 to raise the valve and thereby turn on the steam when the toe rest is raised in the jacking operation. The steam continues to be discharged upon the shoe while the operator preferably first lasts the heel seat.

' By the time he is ready to last the toe the toe portion of theupper has been so heated and moistened as to be in such pliable condition that it will conform readily to the contour of the last under the action of the toe lasting plates Without wrinkling or puckering. When the shoe is unjacked the descent of the toe rest, by gravity, will cut' ofi the steam so that steam is not wasted or allowed to escape to an objectionable extent. The steam or hot vapor applied to the upper as described immediately in advance of the operation of the lasting plates thereon conditions the stock by rendering it soft and pliable and the action of the heat and moisture upon the finished surface of the leather immediately in advance of the rubbing en v gagement of the lasting plates therewith reduces the liability of the injury to such finished surface by the wiping action of the lasting plates.

It is to be noted that in accordance with this invention there is no opportunity for the moistened and warmed surface of the leather to cool or become chilled before the lasting plates operate upon it. It should be further noted that the lasting plates are kept warm by the heat from the vapor and thereby are rendered more eflicient.

Having explained the nature of this invention and described apreferred construction embodying the same, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. A' lasting machine having, in combination, toe embracing lasting plates, and means arranged in operative relation to a shoe which is positioned to be lasted by said plates and adapted to act prior to the lastmg operation of the toe embracing plates; upon the'upper at the toe portion of the shoe for rendering the stock softand pliable.- preparatory to the operation of the lasting plates thereon. j I

2. A lasting machine having, in combination, lasting plates, and means arranged with relation to said plates for applying heat and moisture to the toe portion of the upper to prepare the stock for the action of the lasting plates.

3. A lasting machine having, in combination, toe lasting plates, shoe jacking mechanism including a toe rest, means arranged to supply hot vapor to the toe portion of the upper for conditioning the upper for the action of the lasting plates thereon, and controlling means arranged to be operated during the jacking operation for turning on the vapor. I 4. A lasting machine having, in combination, toe lasting plates, shoe jacking mechamsm including a toe rest, means arranged to apply hot vapor to the toe portion of the upper for conditioning the upper for the action of the lasting plates thereon, and controlling means arranged to be operated during the unjacking operation for turning off the vapor.

5. A lasting machine having, in combination, lasting plates, a toe rest, means for applying hot vapor to the toe portion of the shoe upper including a vapor distributer and a valve, means for moving the toe rest to position the shoe for the lasting operation, and connections from the movable toe last bottom.

7. In a toe lasting mechanism, a toe lasting head, lasting plates mounted in said head and constructed and arranged to embrace the toe portion of a shoe, means arranged to deliver heated vapor to the toe portion of the shoe below the lasting plates, and a toe rest extending across the shoe under the toe and forming with said head and plates a'partially. inclosing chamber for the toe of the shoe tending to confine the vapor to the toe portion of the upper.

8. In a toe lasting mechanism, a toe lasting head, lasting plates mounted in said head and constructed and arranged to embrace the toe portion of a shoe, a toe rest;

and means'arranged in the space between the lasting head, the lasting plates, the toe rest and the shoe for applying heat to the upper which covers the end and side faces of the toe portion of the last.

9. A lasting machinehaving, in combination, toe lasting plates, shoe supporting means movable forv jacking and unjacking the shoe, means located to supply heat to the toe portion of the upper of a shoe occupy-v ing a position to be operated upon in the 'machine, a controller for the heat supply ing means, and an operative connection between said movable shoe supporting means and said controller.

10. A lasting machinehaving, in combination, toe lasting plates, shoe supporting means for jacking and unjacking the shoe, means located to supply heat to the toe portion of the upper of a shoe occupying a position to be operated upon in the machine, and means controlled by the jacking operation to increase the heat supplied by the heating means when the shoeis jacked and to decrease the heat supplied by the heating means when theshoe is, unjacked.

11. A lasting machine having, in combination, toe lasting plates constructed and arranged to embrace the toe portion of a last, a toe rest which is movable to jack and unjack a shoe, a vapor distributer located between the toe rest and the lasting plates, and a vapor controller operated by downward movement of the toe rest to discontinue the supply of vapor to the unjacked shoe and responding to elevation of the toe rest to cause the distributer to delivervapor to the jacked shoe.

12. .A lasting machine having, in combination, toe lasting plates constructed and arranged to embrace the toe portion of a last, a toe rest, and a heat distributer located between the toe rest and the lasting plates and arranged to supply heat to the toe portion of a shoe While the shoe is supported on the toe rest.

13. Apparatus for use in lasting shoes having, in combination, shoesupporting means, end lasting plates, and means .for supplying heated vapor, all organized for use to support the shoe and to moisten and heat the end portion of the shoe upper that is to be lasted and then to'last the end portion of the shoe while the shoe remains on the shoe supporting means. I

14. Apparatus for use in'lasting shoes having, in combination, shoe supporting means, end lasting plates, means. for supplying heated vapor to-prepare the shoe upper stock for the action of the end lasting plates, said shoe supporting means and vapor supplying means being relatively movable, and means responsive to such relative movement for controlling the delivery of vapor by-said supplying means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 

